


Our Titanic

by orphan_account



Category: Homestuck, Titanic
Genre: Breaking the Fourth Wall, Car Sex, M/M, basically replica of titanic, but with two different people and a possibly more detailed sex scene, i mean if youve seen titanic ever, predictable, you know whats going to happen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-06-09
Updated: 2014-07-31
Packaged: 2018-02-03 23:37:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 15,274
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1759781
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Dave and Karkat replace Jack and Rose from the 1990's movie version of Titanic.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Titanic: The ship of dreams. Or so he was told.

With the number of people, and how expensive the first class tickets were Karkat knew that this was going to be a big deal. He’d been reminded of how big and amazing this was going to be with countless News articles, radio broadcastings of interviews with the captain and company. It was a big deal. But he didn’t see why.

As the car approached the decs, horn on a constant and indefinably obnoxious rate, Karkat did nothing but sit, watching out the window at all the people. All ages, some waving, some boarding. Some just sitting to gawk at the sight. He rested his hand on top of the one offered to him when they had made it as far by car as they would, and his door was opened. He looked up at the ship. Yeah, it was big. But not that big of a deal beside that all the hype everyone made about it. Which he bluntly pointed out as soon as he was sure his fiancé was out to hear it.

“Remind me why everyone is making this into a big deal? What, did it beat the Mauretania's length by a yard just so they could call in for the world record?” Karkat only looked over to Cal after his spurt was over.

“You can be blase about some things, Karkat, but _not_ about Titanic.” He replied, not terribly off put by Karkat’s attitude. “It is, in fact, over a hundred feet longer than Mauretania, and far more luxurious.” Cal chuckled and murmured to Karkat’s mom as he helped her on her way, Karkat simply giving a silent scoff. 

He began walking to the ship once his mom had passed him, leading the way. He ignored all idle conversation from the woman, along with any quips Cal would try to bring up as soon as he caught up to the two. He followed behind the two, looking past his wide brimmed hat to take in everything that was happening and maybe even subconsciously looking for a way out while they boarded. 

He wanted out. Not because he didn't want to go back to his own home and security, but because of what was going to greet him when he got there. 

_Ship of dreams my ass._

_\-- --_

WV leaned over to Dave, catching his attention to indicate his disconcerted state.

"Hm? Oh. Hell yeah it's a big bet. Don't sweat it, lil' guy. When you got nothing, you got nothing to loose. Just keep your hat on and watch." Italian was being spoken at the other side of the poker game and one more trade of cards before it was time to flip.

"Here we go. Two of us is about to get screwed, the other two walking out changed men. Mayor?"

He laid down nothing, a little disheartened.

"Man, that bites. Olaf?"  He raised his eyebrows, waiting for the cards to be played. "Nothin'. Sven?" He leans back and blows out air through pursed lips. "Two pair... Damn. I'm sorry Mayor-dude."

WV's eyes widened in fear, starting to get worked up.

"Hey man, I'm sorry. You ain't gonna be seeing that girl back home for a long time. We're going to America, man. Full house." He smirks and lays his cards down, the mayor quickly piping up and jumping out of his chair. Dave stared at the two men across from himself, smirking even larger at WV's excitement before Olaf leans foreword and grabs Dave by his collar. He closes his eyes, ready to brace himself for the punch before it's swung directly at Sven. Dave's eyes widened and he quickly went over to the Mayor and gave him a fist bump. "Going home, man. We're going to America-"

The bartender chimed in. "No you're not. Titanic going to America. In five minutes." He pointed a thumb at the clock behind him and Dave and Wayward quickly packed up their winnings, rushing around to get out of the bar as fast as possible. They were off in less than a minute.

"Look at us. Going off on some fancy ass boat, biggest one to set sail yet. Or set steam. No clue what the term for this kind of shit is." He rambled a little, adrenaline rushing from the pure facts of the situation. "C'mon Mayor, thought you said you were fast? Only got a few minutes here, come on come on come on." He rushes through the crowd, looking back at his friend occasionally and running up the dock, yelling to get the men closing the gate to keep the door open.

"Hey wait we're passengers. We got tickets to ride this shit like a toddler on one of those horse stick toys." He holds his tickets out to the men and they just look Dave up and down.

"Have you been through the health inspection yet?" The man stationed inside asked. 

"What yeah 'course we did. Don't matter anyway: we're American's if you couldn't already tell by my totally American rich accent. Both of us." 

They're given one last glance over before they're let on the ship with a neutral greeting. They kept running, headed straight to the bow to wave off everyone. WV squealed excitedly while Dave made remarks about how damn lucky they were. The ship set off just as they made it to the top, watching everyone pass by while waving and sending their goodbyes out aimlessly. The boat was huge, taking a good deal of time to actually start itself off, but once it did it really started going.

Dave sighed once everyone was too far away to see, and the people on the deck were even starting to head back down to their rooms. He took WV's hand and started to their own quarters, down to one of the lower levels and through a few confusingly numbered hallways. Dave set the little belongings that he had aside when they got there, offering a head nod to the two men already in the room. 

"Hey who says you got dibs on top bunk?" He said, smirking at WV before looping around to the bottom one.

The two men looked at each other confused.

"[Where's Sven?]"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eyo, this is my first fan fiction. I've had this idea for a while but my girlfriend finally motivated me so yeah. Hope it hasn't been done before.
> 
> -Allen


	2. Chapter 2

Karkat stood in one of his personal rooms, starting to unpack. He had gotten a few paintings during his stay that he found unique and astounding. He was looking for one in particular, a few of his maids helping to try and find the very specific piece.

"This one?"

"No. It had a lot of faces on it... Fuck, where the-- oh. Found it." He pulled it out of one of the boxes, holding it up far enough to look at it. The maid looked over Karkat's shoulder before quickly pulling another one out to continue her duty of unpacking.

"Would you like all of them out, Sir?"

"Uh, yeah. Sure. This room is bland. It'd help it not completely look like a shit filed garbage bin." He looked around for a few seconds before setting the painting down on a chair in front of the wall he decided it would look best hung on. He straightened the skirt to his dress a little before going over to find more of his favorites, Cal walking in right after.

"God, not those finger paintings again... They certainly were a waste of money." He leaned up against the door frame, watching Karkat as he neglected to even turn to face Cal.

"Coming from someone who one, has no taste in art and couldn't bring himself to appreciate even the Mona Lisa, and two, who  _bought_ these "finger paintings" in the first place, I'm pretty sure anything you have to say about these paintings is automatically invalid." He rolled his eyes and set another painting down. "They're fascinating. Like being inside of a dream or something. With no logic.." He trailed off, still looking at the one he had placed. 

A maid bent over to catch Karkat's attention. "What's the artists name?"

"Uh something Picaso? I don't know." He quickly turned to grab a painting of dancers, Cal walking more into the room to make himself known.

"'Something Picaso,' he won't amount to thing. He won't, trust me." He raised his glass at his last words before drinking out of it. Karkat left with a maid right behind him, finding an open space in another room to hang the painted dancers.

"At least they were cheap." He heard muttered from Cal before he was far enough to tune him out. 

\-- --

Running to the front of the deck with WV's hand in his own, Dave was filled to the brim with adrenaline. The effects of winning the ticket in the first place hadn't quite worn away yet, and being able to do it with his best friend in the world was probably the best way Dave could ever dream of going about this.

When they got all the way to the front, he bent over the railing, looking out into the vast ocean in front of himself and his friend. WV stood on the other side of the cable running down the middle of the boat, climbing onto the first rod and holding onto the top one to look across the front as well. 

"Oh hey dude, look at that. Dolphins. Oh fuck yeah, there's like-- oh shit, there's like seven dolphins there, that's so cool. I mean dolphin is a dolphin, no way it wouldn't be cool no matter what but damn, look at them all. It jumped. Dude, you're seeing all this right? Pure discovery channel shit going down right here look look look." He grinned, wrapping his arm to hold onto the other side and keep it around WV. "Fuck this is brilliant." He took a deep breath in of the ocean air and closed his eyes, feeling WV's clapping in excitement. He smiled at that and relaxed. He was going back home in the classiest way possible, the best way possible, and it was all rushing to his head because it was happening and he was ecstatic. He took another deep breath before whooping in excitement, WV clapping more. This lasted for a good five minutes.

"What? Statue of Liberty? Mayor, you know that's bullshit, don't even." He smiled and looked over at him before stepping away and giving WV a moment to get off the railings before starting back too far. 

\-- --

Lunch was a pain. Any meals during social engagements were pains to Karkat. He knew he'd be expected to engage in bland conversations and mostly one sided sessions of small talk. It didn't interest him at all, but he didn't have the means to to say anything against it. So he reverted to just not saying anything. Cal had the tendency to speak for Karkat most of the time anyway. Anything Karkat would voice that Cal didn't think of was generally looked down upon in the end, and only lead to further justify Karkat's stubbornness. Quite frankly it was obnoxious.

But he was nothing if not a rebellious, verging on juvenile grub-boy and wanted everyone to know it. He hadn't gotten a word in the discussion for the past ten minutes, and he knew the only reason he was there was as a sort of add-on to his fiancé. No way his mother would have brought him if he didn't have a duty to fulfill, even if the current one wasn't even in high quality in the first place. He took a cigarette out of his purse and lit it, taking a drag, pretending that he was alone. Partially because he knew it would piss his mother off and that it would be considered disrespectful to everyone who cared, and partially because God, he'd give so much to be out of this situation right now. 

His mother leaned foreword. "You know I don't like that, Karkat." She raised her eyebrows and looked at the cigarette, Karkat simply taking another breath in and changeling her with an equally stubborn expression. His mother resentfully backs off and Cal took the cigarette out of Karkat's hand when Karkat does nothing to do so himself.

"He knows." He glares at Cal and huffs, clasping his hands in his lap and sitting with rigid posture, but posture nonetheless.  _Ass-sniffing bulge-sucker..._

The waiter comes by Karkat's side of the table, but Cal is on top of it before Karkat can even get a thought in. "We'll both have the lamb. Rare with little mint sauce... You like lamb, don't you sweet pea?" Cal asks Karkat, only after the waiter leaves. He gives Cal a forced smile and a nod, not finding it in himself to indulge his thoughts and stab Cal's hand with any one of his utensils. But God was he glad that Molly took a hint.

"You gonna cut her meat for her too there, Cal?" She asked with a sort of smirk. Probably the most passive aggressive way she could've addressed the situation. Even so, it was damn well validating. She turned back to the topic beforehand after Cal had neglected to address any potential flaws in his actions. 

"So who came up with the name "Titanic?" Was it you Bruce?" She said with a telling smirk. 

Bruce dropped his napkin to his lap and rested his forearms on the tables edge. "Yes, actually. I wanted to convey sheer size. And size means stability, luxury," he pauses a moment, "and safety--"

Karkat cut in abruptly. "Hey, do you know about Doctor Frued? His ideas about the human male preoccupation with size would probably be the most relevant reference to you, Mr. Ismay." He added in the end to add to the air of passive aggression, almost a point to show how annoying it really fucking was. He does manage to make Mr. Andrews choke on his food in suppressed laughter, even a small nod of approval from Molly. His mom on the other hand was not amused in the slightest.

"My God, Karkat... What's gotten into you--"

"Excuse me." He stood up, balling the napkin from his lap and tossing it onto his plate. He didn't have to deal with this. He only caught a few sentences more as he walked out of the dining room, but they did nothing but fuel his aggression further.

"She's a pistol, Cal. You sure you can handle her?"

"Well, I might have to mind what she's reading from now on." 

\-- --

Dave sat on the lower class deck: Sketch book in his lap, charcoal in his hand. He was alone, Mayor sitting quietly next to him and watching as he doodled, just as excited about it as he was about nearly everything. Of course if he grew tired of watching he'd probably go chat with someone else, maybe set off on a home-made adventure to keep himself entertained. It was always reassuring to Dave to know that he really couldn't force WV to do something that he would either end up regretting or just all around disliking. The dude was pretty straight foreword. 

He was working on a picture of a kid looking over the edge of the boat with her dad holding her against the railing and pointing out things. He had no idea what they could be talking about considering there ain't nothing but sea for miles in every direction, but that didn't matter. They were consistent enough for Dave to get good shapes down on the page until a suited man walked past him with three leashed dogs in his hand. 

"That's typical. First class dogs come down here to take a shit." Some guy with an extremely thick Irish accent says to Dave. He blinks over at him before watching as the dogs are walked away.

"Just a friendly reminder to let us know where we rank in the scheme of things. A little poke notification to say "hey lower to no income passengers. We're just here to let you know that we think you're just about as important- which is to say useless- as our pets" in some weird symbolic manner." He nods to the side before looking up and holy fucking hell that's a hot troll...

"Like we could forget." The Irishman shakes his head, standing a little in silence while Dave stares off at Karkat. 

Maybe it was the pastel greens of his dress and striking reds that contrasted so nicely against the muted colors of his skin and hair, or maybe it was the fact that his face screamed sleep deprived in every mannerism possible but Dave was entranced. Explainable or not. 

He got a glance in his direction from the troll, a quick double take, glare, and then deliberate turn away. This just caused a grin to pinch the corners of Dave's mouth, and a small shift of confidence. Which of course was quickly diminished when a man came up and grabbed the troll by the arm, attempting to pull him back before he left all on his own. 

"Oh, forget it boyo. You'd as like have angels flyin' out of yer arse as get next to the likes of hers." The man said. Which of course was as true as ever. He licked his lips as Karkat disappeared and looked over to his friends, then huffing out a breath of air. It was worth a day dream or two. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promise you chapters will not always come this quickly.
> 
> -Allen


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning for self harm, and attempted suicide. 
> 
> Next chapter should be up soon. 
> 
> -Allen

Karkat sat in his socially assigned seat in the dining saloon. His mother was to the right of him, Cal to the left. Just as they had sat for lunch. Just how they would be sitting no matter the event. Which, to be fair, might not have bugged Karkat so much if it weren't for everything else.

Because it wasn't  _just_ the sitting arrangements. 

It was the image Karkat had to hold up to make his mother comfortable; to make it seem to everyone that he had parents who brought him up good and proper. It was having to withhold any semblance of aristocracy that he had been raised on to pull through what would probably be not his, but his mothers most anxious times. To keep what's "best for him" on his own back, as young as he was. To go along with whatever false impressions the others had of him, and even let Cal encourage them with forced ideals. The lack of control on his life, the apathy from everyone around him, the inertia, the  _weight._  

Under the table, Karkat was slowly pressing the prongs of a crab fork into the skin of his arm to keep himself from breaking down. From flipping the table over and making himself heard. From tearing at his clothes, breaking his drinking glass, the pates, and screaming out for someone to notice the unbearable pain. 

Because it was all too much. The fork broke skin before dinner was over, and drove even deeper when he stared blankly ahead of himself to take the pain. 

 -- --

 Dinner didn't end soon enough. It had Karkat in a numbed daze all the way back to his room. No one commented on his arm. He didn't know if it was because they hadn't noticed the puncture holes and smeared blood, or if it was because they were too uncomfortable by the thought to notice. And he wasn't sure which answer would be easier to take in. 

And it wasn't long after Cal and his mother had left him alone that his mind started racing again. That he was starring at the mirror at himself and everything around him. How faked and forced it was. His mind ran free as he sobbed at his own pathetic reflection before slamming the mirror down on the desk holding it up and darting off. He tripped once on the deck and laid still a few moments before finding the energy to lift himself up, sure to keep his skirt pinned to his hip as he ran to the back of the boat. 

He had a goal now. His running was uneven and more tiring than his hysterical crying was, giving him justification to not give two shits when he barged through crowds of people taking walks across the boat, under the night sky. 

It was a long way and cold enough to make his lungs burn and ache by the time he had finally got to his destination. He stopped and sorted his thoughts, giving himself a few more validations before starting his way to the railing, stepping over, and the leaning far out. 

He looked at the water, at the way the motor chopped and created a hard current. At the sheer size of the drop that made his stomach turn, and the almost romantic contrast of the gently wind on his face. It all seemed to perfectly represent his mess of a life. 

"Don't do it." 

Karkat's head snapped around to a blonde, shocked and almost offended. "Stay the fuck away!" He said with a bite, but his face didn't show any anger. 

Dave only took another step foreword. "Come on dude, just grab my hand. I'll pull you in and we can chill-" 

"No! I said stay the fuck over there, don't come closer. I-I'll let go. I mean it." He frowned and looked back over to the mechanic waves. 

Dave let a few seconds of lull into the conversation. "No you won't."

Annoyance pinched Karkat's face. "What the fuck is that supposed to mean? "No I won't," don't try to tell me that in the few probably priceless moments of our relationships existence that you know me so perfectly well enough that you know what I will and will not do." 

"Bro, you would have done it already if you were one hundred percent full on board with this whole thing. Now come on, just take my hand." 

"That's because your pompous nook-licking ass is distracting me, go away." He wiped the tears out of his eyes and tried to refocus on his task. 

"See that's a nice thought and all, but I can't yo. I'm  _involved._ It'd probably be a felony if you let go and I didn't get in gear to dive after you." Dave said, pulling his jacket up and folding it sloppily on the ground. 

"What are you an idiot? You'd die." 

"I'm a good swimmer."

"Oh right, because the fall isn't going to have any effect I'm sure." 

"Hey man, I'm not saying it wouldn't hurt. To be honest, I'm probably more concerned about that water being so cold than anything." Dave pulled at the laces on his left shoe, making sure he kept Karkat in view the whole time. 

"...How cold?" Karkat tilted his head over to Dave, starting to think about the reality of it all. 

Dave smirked a little, glad to have Karkat's attention. "Freezing. Maybe below, maybe above." He pulled his left shoe off and worked on the right. "You ever been to Wisconsin?"

Karkat's pulled out of his own mind. "No. What the hell does that have to do with anything?" 

"My Bro road us up there once on a wagon- we lived at Chippewa Falls for a while. They probably have the coldest winters in the USA, drops below freezing every year for probably months at a time. Anyway, Bro decided to take me like, ice fishing on some lake thing... Uh, ice fishing is where you cut a hole in the ice-"

"I fucking _know_ what ice fishing is!" He wiped at his eyes once more. 

"Whoa, sorry. Just seemed like more of an indoor guy to me... Anyway, I fell through some thin ice right then. And hey, when you're dealing with water colder than balls all around you? Like that water right there? It hits you like a thousand swords, stabbing all over your body. You can't breathe, you can't think- well I mean not about anything except for the pain." He took off his last shoe. "Which is why I'm not looking foreword to going in after you. But I guess I ain't really got a choice here, do I? Hoping maybe you could step over the rail and let me off the proverbial hook here?" He looked over at Karkat, hopeful that his mini-monolog would work. 

"You're insane." 

"Get that a lot, yeah. But with al due respect, I ain't the one hanging over the back of a boat right now..." Karkat's face droped a little in shock and realization, Dave taking another hesitant step foreword, right up to the rail. "Come on. You don't wanna do this. Just give me your hand, I'll get you over." 

Karkat looked over at Dave again, meaning to snap a few insults at him until he saw his eyes. They looked calm and sympathetic- not the fake time he had been grown up and taught to feel too in the way of etiquette, but a pure caring almost  _understanding_ of how Karkat felt then. He slowly took his hand off of the rail and clapped it over Dave's, shaking a little. He watched his own feet as he turns around before he looked back up to Dave. 

"I'm Dave Strider." Dave said warmly. 

"Pleased to meet you, Mr. Strider." Karkat gulped before displaying a small smile of trust. He started to lift his foot up to step onto the rung of the railing and get over, but hooked his foot under his dress on accident, and quickly fell over the side. Dave's eyes wided and he held onto Karkat with both of his hands as Karkat screamed and called for help. 

"I've got'cha. I won't let go, I promise." He braced himself against the railing as he grabed for Karkat's other hand and slowly managed to pull him back up over the railing. It was clumsy with Karkat's evening shoes lacking any sort of grip to steady himself readily with, and they ended up in a heap on the ground: Dave on top of Karkat. Karkat looked at Dave gratefully until they both heard footsteps running toward them. 

"Here, what's all this?" A few of the higher class watch men came to a stop in front of Dave and Karkat, both looking at the men frightened. 

It only took the head worker a moment to come to false conclusions. "You get up! Don't move an inch!" He yelled, pointing at Dave. Dave sighed, knowing nothing he could say would change the mans mind about the situation and stood up away from Karkat, and brushed his hands across his pants. The main man sent for another one of the sea men to get the master of arms, and kept Dave at a far distance away from Karkat while they waited and questioned Karkat about his family, and who else they should bring to the deck. 

Dave was quickly cuffed when everyone arrived to the deck, Karkat given a blanket while he cried softly on a bench nearby. Which Cal bypassed to go directly to Dave. 

"What makes you think you can put your hands on my fiancé?" He sneered in Dave's face. Dave looked off over to Karkat and wet his lips to speak. Cal only grabbed Dave's vest and shook him roughly. "Look at me you filth! What did you think you were doing?!" 

"Cal, stop. It was an accident." Karkat stood up and quickly ran over to pull Cal's hands off of Dave.

Cal looked at Karkat and frowned. "An accident?" 

"Yes! Yeah yeah, um. See, I was leaning over the side and I slipped. Heh, stupid right?" He looked over at Dave to make sure he was on board. "Mhm, yeah I was leaning waaaaay way over to see the p-p-p shit the p-"

"Propellers?" Cal helped catching Karkat's attention. 

"Yes! Mhmm! Propellers, and I  _would_ have gone over the side and probably have died-- i-if it weren't for Mister Strider! See he saved me and almost went over the fucking rail himself." Karkat gulped, hopeful that at least Dave would go with it. 

"You wanted to see the propellers." Cal sighed and rubbed a hand over his mouth in relief. 

One of the men who came up with Cal walked about toward Dave, shaking his head. "Women and machinery just don't mix." 

Karkat frowned and looked over to him. "Wait what? Do you bulge-humping morons-" 

"Was that the way of it?" The Master of Arms asked Dave. 

Dave looked over to Karkat, visibly angered from being ignored. He nodded. "Yeah, whatever the "lady" says." Dave smirked and Karkat whipped his head around to glare at Dave. 

"Well, the boys a hero then! Good for you son, well done." The man who had previously walked around to Dave clapped him on the back while he was let out of the cuffs. "So it's all well and we can go back to our brandy, eh?" He said, Cal nodding and going back to Karkat, rubbing his arms.

"Let's get you in, you must be freezing..." Cal starting walking away with Karkat before one of his brandy-mates stops and mutters to him:

"And... Perhaps something for the boy?" 

Cal stopped and turned about. "Ah yes, Mr. Lovejoy? A twenty should do it." He went to walk again, but Karkat stopped him.

"What, is saving the life from the man that you love only worth twenty human dollars?" Karkat looked Cal up and down.

Cal only stood with more stature, even smirking a little at Karkat. "Ooh... Karkat's upset. What to do?" He took another moment until Karkat's offensive stance was torn down. "I know."

Cal walked back over to Dave who looked at the man a little reluctantly. "Perhaps you can join us for dinner tomorrow? To regale our group with your heroic tale." 

Dave looked past Cal straight to Karkat. "...Yeah. Count me in." 

"Good. It's settled then." Cal left with his acquaintance and put an arm around Rose when he got to her. "This should be amusing." He muttered to his friend and chuckled a little.

Dave lingered around a little with Lovejoy who spoke up casually. "You'll want to tie those, you know..." He looked down at Dave's shoes, on his feet but still untied. "Interesting, that the young man slipped so mighty and all of a sudden, yet you still had the time to take off your jacket and shoes. Mmm?" He wasn't looking at Dave, just blowing smoke from a cigarette over the end of the boat before turning away to join the rest of the men, walking back to the bar and pool room.  


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There was a convention and then I got sick so this came p fucking late by my standards, but it's also pretty long so have fun reading, guys.
> 
> Little more suicide talk and depression talk if that triggers you, too. 
> 
> -Allen

It didn't take long for Karkat to manage his way out of Cal's "protection," finding a way to convince his fiancé that he would be fine and that Cal's friends would be waiting for him in the bar and pool room, anyway. He knew his time alone wouldn't last forever, but the promise of seeing Dave tomorrow at dinner was enough to settle Karkat's displeasure with Cal to a passive worry that diminished even further as he busied himself fixing his mirror and resorting the jewelry and makeup on his desk from the comfort of his night gown. Karkat was just about done fixing his things to his liking when he saw Cal walk into his room from his mirror, only giving a small glance up before continuing to wipe off the marks on one of his hand mirrors in circles.

"I know you've been melancholy, and I don't pretend to know why." Cal stated, leaning against the doorframe to look at Karkat with false admiration.

Karkat just huffed and rubbed at his mirror a little harder. "So that's what we're calling this?" He muttered, planning on going on about how Cal knows it's more than just a mood flip. But his mind froze at Cal's advance and he didn't move until Cal was pushing a box into Karkat's hands, forcing him to set his mirror and cloth down to satisfy him. 

"I intended on saving this until the engagement gala next week..." He opened the box in Karkat's hand to pull in all of Karkat's attention. "But I thought tonight. Perhaps as a reminder of my feeling for you." 

Karkat's eyes widened at the blue jewel, backed by silver and what appeared to be a diamond chain. Almost uncannily similar to a very famous one he saw in an oil portrait once. He looked up at Cal for a moment who was grinning at the attention he was receiving. Karkat couldn't find it in himself to scowl at it. "Jesus fuck Cal... Is it--" Of course Cal wouldn't let him finish.

"Diamond, yes. 56 carats." He smiles at Karkat again, stepping out of his seat on Karkat's desk. He took the necklace out of the box and looped it around Karkat's neck, standing behind him in the mirror to watch and monitor Karkat. "It was worn by Luois the Sixteenth. They call it 'Le Coeur de la Mer.' The--" 

"I was tutored French for six years, I know what 'Le Coeur de la Mer' translates to." He wanted his words to cut harshly so Cal would lay off, but they were soft and barely even assertive enough to pass as a reminder. Being said, Cal's smile didn't falter. He just turned toward Karkat warmly and ran his hand over Karkat's shoulder, and down his back.

"It's for royalty. And we are royalty, Karkat." Karkat blinks up at Cal at his name and gulps as Cal's hand manages it's way around his side. "There is  _nothing_ I couldn't give you. Nothing that I would deny you, as long as you don't deny me. Open your heart to me, Karkat." He says fondly to Karkat. There was something about the situation that was off. The necklace was a gift yes, but Cal's request had given it a weight Karkat hadn't felt at the beginning. Like a dog collar around his throat, giving him no choice but to stay in his place at Cal's side. It made his stomach sink and wish that he hadn't been so open to it at the start. That he hadn't managed to get himself roped into a position he'd been trying to fight off. He suddenly wished that Dave's meeting would come sooner.

\-- --

"...And I've been livin' on my own since I was fifteen- ever since my Bro died." Dave nodded up, giving Karkat the cue to turn the next corner. "Didn't have any other family in that part of the country, so I just lit on out of there and have been traveling around ever since. Kinda like a hobo, 'cept with less trains and more wandering, getting by with quarters and nickels." Dave looked over to Karkat with another small gesture before looking over to the side of the boat and letting their path angle mildly toward it. "Well we've walked just about a mile 'round this boat. Talked 'bout shitty rich people weather topics, 'bout my boring ass childhood. Guess part of me is thinkin' that ain't the reason you came to see me today, though." Dave looked at Karkat as his eyes widened and kept his glance to see the double take and struggle for some sort of defense. 

"Fuck okay- yeah. Maybe I did scuttle around the same horseshit topics I actually complain about never getting away from for a while or whatever. Really rubbing those fist-class social norms in your face." He fiddled with his handbag just long enough to make an awkward silence. "Mr. Strider, I--"

"Dave." 

God, Karkat's sick of being cut off. "...'Dave'. God, I feel so stupid. Actually, no. It's funny. I was so fucking nervous to even go on your deck to find you today, I don't even know how I got the globes to do it." 

"And here you are." Dave pitched in encouragingly. 

"Here I am." Karkat breathed a laugh at how easily Dave could relax him. "I wanted to thank you. I mean it's one thing to save someone's life, and shit I'm so glad you pulled me out of my shit-numbed think-pan to do that, but for your discretion." He looked up to Dave, almost to make sure his gratitude was acceptable and not misplaced.

"Not a big deal, dude." 

There was another small silence before Karkat spoke again. "Okay, I know what you're thinking. Poor little rich boy, right? What should he know about misery?" 

"What? No. No dude, that's not what I was thinking at all. Kinda messed up really." He stopped and stood by the edge of the boat, holding onto a thick cable rope. "I mean, more thinking what the hell happened to hurt you so much that you thought death was the only way out." 

Karkat's heart softened as Dave looked over without a hint of humor or any sort of malicious intent. He might have even blushed a little, contrary to his internal denials. "I..." He shook his head and walked to the rim of the boat as well before starting again. "I don't-" third time's the charm. "It wasn't just one thing. Okay screw that, it was everything, really. It was  _them_ and- and their world and they were just pulling me along with no consent on any decision. Fuck I was so stupid to think I could solve any of that bullshit by running. I was so fucking desperate to get away though, but then I hit the back rail and even this huge ass ship wasn't big enough for me to get away. Everything just happened so fast. I didn't want to go back to some life where everyone treats me like some disease ridden grub who can't make any decision for itself. Maybe that's a little more accurate than I intended for it to be. Not like I really can do anything to stop them." He held his hand out for effect, not really sure how else to explain how horrid the marriage made him feel. 

Dave gawked and laughed at it. "Jesus H Christ, dude... You would've gone straight to the bottom." He let his smile drop when he noticed Karkat's face was still. 

"500 invitations have gone out... I don't even know most of the horse-faced bulge suckers who are going, not like I'd opt for anyone in particular to join. It just feels so shitty, everyone around me choosing my life. Like I'm in the middle of a ballroom, screaming and crying but nobody ever looks up." He looks over to Dave, again for approval. 

Dave took a moment to process Karkat's situation before nodding to the ring and turning his attention back to Karkat. "D'you love him?" 

Karkat frowned while he processed the question. "I beg your pardon?" 

"Do you love him?" 

The question continued to bubble around Karkat. "W-well you're being rude." He feigned a frown. "You shouldn't be asking me this." 

"Dude, it ain't that complicated of a question. Either you love the guy or not." 

"No- No fuck you. This is _not_ a suitable conversation." He was holding back a grin, filled with adrenaline for the answer and the fact that maybe someone finally noticed.

"Why can't you just answer the question?" Dave smiled at Karkat's flustered reaction and kept pace to move with Karkat's hyper enthusiastic motions.

"What? No. This is idiotic. You don't know who the fuck I am, I don't know you, and we are _not_ having this conversation. You're a rude nook-licking moron, and-and uncouth, and I am leaving now." He stuck out a hand, trying to regain his poise. "Dave. Mr. Strider. It has been a pleasure. I came out here to thank you, and that's just what I fucking did."

"Don't forget you've insulted me." Dave added, shaking Karkat's hand just as aggressively as he's receiving. 

Karkat stared at their hands for a moment. "You know you deserved it." Karkat's smile came back quickly, covering it up with a scoff. 

"Thought you were leaving." Dave reminded Karkat with a little raise of his eyebrows.

"Oh- oh I am." Karkat pulled his hand back quickly and turned to leave. "Oh fuck, you're so  _annoying._ " He laughed and shook his head, aiming to head back to his own deck. "Wait." He turned back to Dave and walked right past him, pointing toward the stairs. "This is my part of the fucking ship,  _you_ leave." He stood confidently. 

"Oh so that's how we're playing? Who's being rude now, huh?" He smirked at Karkat while he waited for some sort of a come back, insult or half-assed defense. He got neither.

"What's this book you keep carrying around?" Karkat quickly pulled the sketch book out of Dave's hands, walking off to the side of the ship with seat while he starts to page through it. "What? Is this supposed to be art or something?" Dave followed Karkat quietly, pretty much in love with every reaction the troll had to anything. "Dave, half of these are shit." 

"Wow, Karkat. That's no way to go about looking at an artists creations, who says that ain't my best." 

Karkat squinted at Dave. "Because the other half look like you traced over a picture. Why the hell do you have to draw this shit when you can obviously do that?" He pointed first to a picture of a crudely drawn person falling down stairs, and then to a person sitting at a table with his hands around a radio, drawn near to life. 

"Gets boring." Dave replied. He kept an eye on the page Karkat was on, smirking when he felt the need to close the book when someone walked past during a page of doodles, half of them nude women, the other half ugly faces. 

The pages started to fill with more and more doodles of nothing too in-depth, until they come across a page of detailed pictures in less than conventionally beautiful situations. There were little doodled faces of a man at every sketch, making little comments as captions about the people individually. 

"They're... Kind of cool. In some fucked up, really stupid way." Karkat looked over to Dave, trying to compensate for his initial remark without obviously trying to save his own ass. "You see people." 

Dave smirked at the overly serious result. "I see you." He half mocked, but Karkat was delighted to hear it and fell for the play.

"And?"

"You wouldn't have jumped." Dave straightens his face as Karkat's smile flips completely. 

They spoke for hours after that, skipping Karkat's assigned tea time in favor of covering their bases of interests. It was the first time that Karkat actually felt a part of a conversation, more than happy for Dave to respond casually at Karkat's temper, and even happier for Dave to openly frustrate him with little pokes and retorts that would ignite Karkat into a slew of insults and pokes of his own. It was annoying and he had to bypass(bypass with words, of course he would never falter in shoving Dave or flicking him off) most of them for the sake of actually getting places with any of their stories, but it was better than what Karkat had to deal with any other night. 

Topics passed, and eventually Dave's life came up again. He had to card through the more important parts of it and leave out a few of the nastier bits, trying to keep both Karkat's attention and interest. Karkat regarded it all fondly, despite how little experience he had to fully imagine it. 

"Why can't I do that?" He chirped up eventually.

"I mean if you really want to I can get the squid-boats number for you to help work out there. Don't know how well your art would sell at the-" 

"No you pathetic douche. I meant just get up one day and sail off." He smiles out over the edge of the deck for a moment. "Say we do that someday. Go to that pier. I mean, even if we only just  _talk_ about it-" 

"No. We'll do it. Go to the carnival, drink cheep beer, go on rides 'til we throw up, take a horse ride on the beach. But I ain't talking no sissy ass horse riding. I'm talking real cowboy style, one leg on each side, reins in your hands. Real deal." Dave looked over to Karkat to make sure he wasn't boring the shit out of the troll yet.

Karkat listened in awe at the pretenses. "Would you show me how?" He asked sheepishly. 

"'Course." 

Karkat nodded, slowly turning his head to the front. "Teach me to ride like a man." The phrase was weird coming from Karkat, but considering his being cast into a 'woman's role' due to troll status in first-class livings, it wasn't a thought he could ponder very frequently. 

"And chew tobacco like a man." Dave mocked again, picking up his old southern accent.

"And spit like a man." Karkat's accent came out strangled and disconnected, which just gave Dave a bigger smile. 

"What, they didn't teach you how to spit in finishing school?"

"No." He tried to hold down his grin to keep up the conversation, no matter how many pricks of joy Dave had laced through Karkat's skin.

"Well here, I'll show you." He grabbed Karkat's hand and started walking to a more open part of the deck. 

"Wait what? No- Dave,  _no!"_ Karkat's eyes widened as Dave started to pull him around the corner. 

"Come on dude, try it." 

"Dave! Dave no, come on I couldn't-" They made it to the side of the boat and Karkat looked around to make sure not too many people he knew were around the two of them. 

"Alright ready? Pay close attention." Dave took a deep breath, arching back before nearly throwing himself over with the momentum for the spit. 

"Oh my God, that's disgusting." Karkat sneered at the path that the spit took before Dave nudged his shoulder.

"Come on. Your turn." 

Karkat looked around one more time before leaning over the edge enough so that he wouldn't hit the side of the boat, spitting weakly over it and looking back at Dave.

"Holy shit, that was pitiful. Come on, arch your back more. Really get some substance worked up in the back of your throat." Dave spit again while Karkat crinkled his face to concentrate his saliva. "See the rang on that one?" 

"Mmhm." Karkat looked behind themselves, then spit out over the side again, actually trying this time. 

"Alright, that was better. But you have to work on it. Really try to work it up, you know? Get some body to it." Dave started up again to give another example, but the expression Karkat gave him made him pause and then quickly spin around to see Karkat's mother with a few of her friends. He put emphases on swallowing what he just hacked up.

Karkat took a deep breath before approaching his mom at a comfortable distance to address her. It took him a while to calm himself enough to do so. "Hello, Mother. Um, fuck, may I introduce you to Dave Strider?" Dave looked over and gave a small smile to Karkat's mom as she looked Dave up and down with judgement. 

"Charmed, I'm sure." She was noticeably holding back a glower. 

Karkat continued hesitantly, explaining to the others who Dave was, and why he was so important to Karkat now. They all nodded along and even asked a few questions, save for Karkat's mom who just watched Dave with a sense of egocentricity  and underlying fear.

"Well, sounds like Dave is a good man to keep around in a sticky situation." Molly, standing on the far end of the line up, nodded with a smile to him before jumping from a bugler announcing the dinner line up. Molly laughed after noticing everyone's jump from it. " Why do they insist on always announcing dinner like a damn cavalry charge?" Everyone smiled politely at Molly's comment.

"Shall we dress, mother?" Karkat turned to her and she nodded, moving to walk with him. "See you at dinner, Dave." He made a point to brush past Dave's arm before his mother started scolding him on not wearing a sun hat outside, skipping tea, anything she could.

Everyone else parted ways except for Dave who watched Karkat walk away, not entirely sure where to even go for dinner.

"Son."

He was excited to see Karkat again so soon after spending most of the day with him and learning so much. Making Karkat laugh and smile so much during the day was amazing and he was glad that it was because of him. Karkat really was beautiful, and it was a shame that he was engaged to some dick he didn't even like, but he had his reasons and Dave would be damned if he didn't even allow himself to enjoy Karkat's presence and fantasies in the brief time he'd be able to.

" _Son."_ Molly pulled Dave's attention back. 

"Yes." He looked back at the woman. 

"Son, do you have the slightest comprehension what you're doing?"

Dave looked around a little. "You see, I could lie and say yes--"

"Well, you're about to go into the snakepit. I hope you're ready. What are you planning to wear?" Molly cut in. Dave motioned at his own outfit, getting a disapproving look from Molly. "I figured... Come on. I think I got something that might fit you."

\--

After spending half an hour or so cleaning up and messing around in Molly's nephews wardrobe, Dave found a suit that fit him and walked with her over to the dining hall entry before breaking away to look around a bit more. At all the fancy architecture and wood carvings that contrast hugely against the blank concrete walls in his part of the ship. He walked down the staircase to get to the level wherein dinner is actually held, watching the customs as the first-class passengers greated gloved hands with a kiss and offer arms to escort ladies to the mass of people gathered around different tables. Dave adjusts himself to fit the gestures and postures he's not used to. 

He didn't have too long to fiddle around with mimicking other people before Ruth and Cal come down the stairs, Ruth's arm on top of Cal's. He held his hand out to shake Cal's as they passed in favor of leaving a good impression in some way, but Cal just lead both of them past Dave to leave him to awkwardly pull his hand back in and let it bounce at his side in embarrassment. He almost started a laugh at how ridiculous Cal and Ruth both acted around him, but Karkat was following right behind and waiting at the top of the stairs for Dave to notice. Both of them seemed to take a moment to look at the other. They both eventually smiled, Karkat's a grin and Dave's a small impression. Things seemed to still romantically for Karkat as he made his way down the steps, holding up his skirt with his hand and slowly approaching Dave, who bowed at just the right time to take Karkat's hand and kiss it. Of course Karkat had been through the exact same situations countless times before, but something about it being Dave made his heart beat faster and fill his stomach with feathers. Then he spoke.

"I saw that in a nickelodeon once and I always wanted to do it." Dave smirked up at Karkat, who was displeased with the ruined mood.

"You couldn't just let the moment happen could you?" He was about to shove at Dave for being a prick when Cal and his mother walked up beside Dave and Karkat, who quickly slid his fingers between Dave's to hold their hands low. "Uh, Cal. This is Dave, remember?"

Cal looked at Dave with amusement. "Strider! Yes, yes yes. I almost didn't recognize you. Amazing, you could almost pass as a gentleman." 

Dave didn't falter at the passive insult, giving a playful "almost" after it, but Karkat gave his hand a little squeeze. There wasn't much time for more than intimidating looks from Cal and Ruth before they turned to walk into the main dining room, Dave escorting Karkat close behind into the mess of people. Karkat explained to Dave what each one of the guests did, how they were tied into the aristocratic social order and even made little jokes. He could tell that Dave was overwhelmed by the quantity of people and the expectations for heightened manners and class. He never let it show, though. Not anymore than you'd be able to tell unless you were looking at him and picking apart his posture bit by bit. 

Their side conversations were cut off when Cal turned back to call Karkat over to Ruth and himself. 

"Now why don't you be a gentleman and escort me to dinner." Karkat pulled at Dave's arm until it was up and ready to support and guide Karkat over to their dining table. Of course Karkat was really the one leading, his hand gripped on a little tighter than natural to Dave's so that he could pull Dave around and to the right place. There was more small talk along the way, Karkat introducing Dave to some of the more important people and leaving Dave to tell vague descriptions of himself and family, leaving everyone to assume he was on the same level as they were. 

When they did make it to the table, dinner went surprisingly smooth. Molly was seated right next to Dave, and helped him out in his moments of hesitance. It wasn't a bad experience, but not necessarily pleasant. Karkat, seating across from Dave, started to have second thoughts about the arrangement as soon as his mother decided to start up a new topic for the table to mull over. She directed her first question at Dave.

"Why don't you tell us about the accommodations in steerage, Mr. Strider. I hear that they're quite good on this ship." Ruth held up her smile through the question, a few members of the table understanding the venom behind the words. Some appalled by it, others in favor of Ruth's intentions.

Dave took a moment to make Ruth would stand by what she said, Karkat looking hesitantly back up to gauge Dave's reaction. Which was, to everyone's surprise, calm. Even said with a  smile to strengthen his words. "I mean hey, probably haven't seen any better up close. Can't imagine how they got by with so little rats this time 'round. Usually have a crate full every deck." 

The rest of the table laughed, polite and casual. Karkat's mother was actually impressed with Dave's ability to rebound so quickly from an insult and watched him a while longer while Cal spoke up to explain to the others Dave's predicament. 

"Mr. Strider is joining us from the third class crew. He was of some assistance to my fiancé." Cal smiled at Karkat until a waiter leaned over to poor their champagne. 

"Dave is really fuck-- really good at drawing. As it turns out. He showed me some of his work today, actually." Karkat drank from his glass as soon as the waiter had stepped away.

"M. Karkat and I differ a bit when it comes to our definitions of 'fine-art.'" Cal added in casually before Karkat gave a small hint of disapproval. "Not to impugn your work, sir." He nodded absently while he took a few appetizers. 

Dave shook his head with dismissal, assuring Cal that his assumed easily mis-interperated comment was taking with the best intent. 

Another waiter appeared behind Dave and he leaned to the side to accommodate for him, taking the opportunity to lean a little further for Molly's attention. "Hey, yo so here see. Are these all for me?" He said, indicating the plethora of forks and spoons.

"Yeah, just start from the outside and work your way in. That's what I always do." She answered quickly before coming back into the conversation, a man at the other end of the table speaking.

"Yes, he knows every rivet of her, don't you Thomas?" He said with a sway of his champagne glass.

"Your ship is great, Mr. Andrews. Really." Karkat smiled over to the man they both spoke of.

"Thank you, Karkat." He smiled at the compliment, suppressing a bubble of pride from getting on Karkat's good side.

Dave took a moment to trace the small talk before another waiter was behind him. "And how do you like your caviar, sir?" The man was older this time, white hair and glasses at the bridge of his nose.

"No caviar for me. Never really thought fish eggs were too appetizing." There was another smile from Karkat that was again, diminished once his mom spoke up. Dave kept note of how that was happening and how desperately Karkat was trying to keep himself calm at the end of every pushing sentence his mother gave.

"And where exactly do you live, Mr. Strider?" She gave Dave the same look as she had with her first question.

"Funny story, actually. Um, well right now I live on the R.M.S. Titanic. And after that I guess I'm off wherever life brings me or whatever." 

That wasn't enough for Ruth. "And how is it you have means to travel?" 

"Damn, you're hitting all the good points aren't you? Well, I work my way around. Get little petty jobs you know, making ten cents a piece for shit other's can't be bothered with. My ticket here, actually, I won at poker with my best friend. Luckiest hand I've ever got, 'specially with the stakes." He glanced over to Karkat at the end before another man chimed in, Ruth still staring hard at Dave.

"All of life is a game of luck." Gracie said, a few laughs around him. 

"M-" Cal put down his drink and shook his head subtly. "A real man makes his own luck. Isn't that right, Strider?"

Dave raised his eyebrows, but agreed with Cal, no matter how much he would've loved to challenge him. 

Ruth finally looked away from Dave, only to grab her glass and question him. "And you find that sort of rootless existence appealing do you?" That time, her words were strong enough to get a few members glaring at her instead of to Dave for an answer.

He answered anyway.

"Well yes, ma'am I do. Like, I got everything I need right here, right? Don't have to worry about nothin' but the air in my lungs, a few blank sheets of paper to keep my skill up, or at least going. I mean, it's fucking great waking up in the morning and not knowing where I'm gonna end up, who I'm gonna see." He took a bite of bread and made a point to look at Karkat, who flushed and looked down. "I mean just the other night, I was sleeping under a bridge and look where I am now. First class, having champagne on probably the grandest shit in the world with all y'all." He smirked and took another sip of the drink. "I figure most shit in life is out of your control. Never know what hand you're gonna get dealt next- gotta take it like it comes. Let each day count." He finished his short bit of a monolog and took another sip of his drink.

"Well said, Dave." Molly smiled at him. 

Colonel Gracie grunted in approval before returning to his salad. "Here, here."

"To making it count." Karkat raised his glass, a smile accompanied with a dusted blush.

The rest of the table repeated Karkat's words in unison, their own glasses raised and sipped.

Dinner continued without anything too extraordinary. 

Small talk overlapped with small talk, a few prolonged stories here and there but none of them lasting longer than a couple minutes of telling and another thirty seconds of humored questions. Dave stayed out of most of the discussions, Karkat only piping up to voice a strong opinion that was tamed to a lowly side-note to uphold expectations and keep the dinner lively but calm. Most of his points were overlooked anyway. He seldom addressed Dave directly, which Dave took as a point to hide any sort of connection between the two of them other than Dave being Karkat's temporary knight-and-shining-armor. Which is why it came as a surprise when Karkat leaned over the table to whisper across to Dave. 

"Next, it'll be brandies in the smoking room..." Karkat looked up after he had finished speaking to make sure Dave had caught on. 

As if Karkat's hint had called the event into play, Ismay stood up and straightened his waist coat. "Well... Join me in a brandy gentleman?" He looked about the table as the men took the napkins off their laps one by one and stood up with Ismay. 

Karkat rolled his eyes. "Now they're going back to a smoke filled shit room, and congratulate themselves on being masters of your universe, complete with claps on the back, a probable game of pool, and endless chattering about their money and business." Dave gave a small smile at Karkat's explanation, paying attention to him over the small goodbyes from the men. 

Cal looked at Dave before leaning over Karkat's chair. "Karkat, shall I escort you back to the cabin?" 

Karkat waved his hand up. "No. I'll stay here." 

Dave stood up, handing Molly a pen he had borrowed.

"Ah, Joining us Strider?" Gracie spoke up as he watched Dave rise. "You wouldn't want to stay out here with the women would you?" He shared a laugh with a few people in his vicinity. 

Dave frowned for a moment at the remark before nodding. "Yeah, no thanks. I gotta be heading back." 

Cal smirked, shoving a note pad into his breast pocket. "It's for the best. Politics and business wouldn't interest you anyway. He patted Dave's shoulder before brushing past him, leaving Dave with a strangled face at how pointedly rude the remark was. "Oh, but Strider," He turned around, his next few steps backwards, "good of you to come." Cal gave a fake smile, but Dave didn't even bother with the act, just turning back around to say his goodbyes to Karkat. 

"Do you have to go?" Karkat looked up, a sort of childish ignorance of forgetting some answers end with a 'no.'

"Time for me to go back to work with the slaves." He nodded, playing into Karkat's mother's words from earlier. Karkat's smile brightened then dropped, Dave's outstretched hand catching Karkat's attention. Karkat slid his hand into Dave's, earning a kiss on his fingers. "Goodnight, dude." He straightened back out and slowly pulled his hand away, dispensing a small piece of paper into it. He had to look back a few times as he walked away to make sure that Karkat had felt the note and realized it had writing on it before he felt fully secure with continuing on his way. 

Karkat looked at the item in his hand and then back at Dave until he was out the doors and lost from sight. Then he tugged his hands down under the table, looking about to make sure no one else had seen Karkat's gift. As soon as he was certain he was safe from prying eyes, he started unfolding the paper in his hands and read it:

_make it count_

_meet me at the clock_


	5. Chapter 5

It wasn't long before Karkat excused himself, telling his mother that he was tired and wanted to get to bed before Cal finishes at the pool room. His stomach bubbles at the thought that dinner wouldn't be his last chance to see Dave. That his little moment of hope would spread throughout the day and now the night. It was hard to keep his composure and not just bolt right after Dave as soon as he left the dining hall and came to the stairs, Dave waiting at the top. He even had to take a deep breath to calm himself right before he started up the half-flight of stairs to get to Dave, wanting to appear unfazed at the least. 

It must've been something about his shoes, or the way that he's walking at an angle toward Dave that alerted him that it was, in fact, Karkat and turn around accordingly. He smiled wide when he saw Karkat's face and waited until Karkat was standing two steps below him. 

"'Sup, Karkat?" Dave smirked. 

That made Karkat half-blush, half second guess whether this was really going to 'make it count' or not. "'Sup?" He put a little too much emphasis on the vowel. 

Dave looked over Karkat, smirking even wider and taking his hand. "C'mon. I'm gonna show you a real party now." 

Then they were running, and Karkat's doubts left almost immediately. It would be good. 

\-- --

The music was loud. Bag pipes replaced chellos, and fiddles were played in place of violins. People were dancing, actually dancing. Fast, close-chested dances with spinning and jumping, steps Karkat had only heard of. The air was clouded with smoke and heat, no corner left without the air of alcohol following. It made Karkat's heart race, a smile stuck on his face, growing with every sip of beer. 

Dave danced with a kid, holding her hands and spinning her in circles while he graciously gave Karkat time to adjust to the new environment. It wasn't hard, despite the language barrier. French didn't do him good surrounded in Italian and Norwegian at every conversation. He tried his best to decline them politely and turn his attention back to his beer or a particularly interesting dance couple around the room. 

"Dude, Karkat. Titanic to Karkat, we're getting a weak signal from your end. Do you read, Karkat?" 

Karkat whipped his head up as soon as he heard Dave, the little girl he was dancing with already across the way. Flipping Dave off only ended with Dave figuring out a way to weasel his hand in-between Karkat's fingers to pull him up no matter the protest put up from Karkat. An unfamiliar song start's to pound the drums, bagpipes soon following.

"Dave wait, fuck. I don't know this dance." He looked up to Dave for some sort of answer, but again only got a smile. 

"Dude, I doubt anyone on this entire boat knows this dance. The creators of this dance don't even know it. We're gonna have to dance closer though, you're not dancing in your prissy first-class Kansas anymore." He put his hand around Karkat's waist and pulled him close to himself. "You ready?" 

Karkat shook his head. 

"Okay good." He started to sway and skip in a tight loop. "Don't think about it, just move." He starts opening up and moving faster.

"Dave oh God-- Dave!" Karkat grinned as they started dancing all across the room, screaming in little bursts of euphoria. He tried to follow where Dave was taking him, to prevent a crash paranoia told him would happen, but let himself drift into trust on occasion, followed with another short burst. Before he knew it, they were on the stage in the middle of the room. He let go of Dave's hand after realizing he froze up like an idiot, and let Dave dance at the fiddle solo. Irish dancing? Karkat wasn't sure, but he watched with bubbly laughs as Dave's feet shuffled and flapped. Karkat quickly bunched the skirt of his dress up to show his feet, tapping them on que as soon as Dave looked over. 

His moves were amateur and made up but his grin kept Dave from cutting in and keeping him from making a fool of himself. He started dancing next to Karkat, spinning around himself and giving small jumps at the ends of measures in the music. Then Dave's waiting to link arms, which Karkat gave into quickly. They started spinning and skipping, Karkat's laughs bubbling over and leaving his chest tight in joy. They spun on stage until the song was over, ending with a bow and a hug. They were sweaty and exhausted by the time they stepped down, Jack immediately walking around to try and find a couple of beers. 

He nabs them from a couple of guys in the middle of an arm wrestle, whom Karkat gives a quick look before chugging down the beer. It doesn't satisfy the dryness in his mouth, but does make his head spin enough not to think about it too much. He pulled the glass away from his own mouth with a sigh, looking over to Dave who had apparently been watching Karkat drink. He smiled and giggled, Dave turning his gaze away to drink from his own glass now. 

They both look back to the arm wrestle when a loud bang and crash of the glass cups signify the end, the loser rushing out a 'best two out of three,' and both his and his opponents elbows were quickly back on the table. Karkat didn't give them time to go again, leaning over them both and plucking the cigarette from the loser's mouth. 

"What? You guys think you're some fucking deal just 'cause you can hold off another persons arm muscle? Sit back, fuck off, and see if you can do this." He took a few steps back and thrusted the bottom of his skirt out to Dave. "Hold this. No- hold it high. Yeah, okay cool." A deep breath filled his lungs, and he let his arms hold the preparatory position, just over his own hips. Then, he slowly lifted himself up onto demi-point, lifting his arms as he moved into full point, bones aligning painfully and muscle already starting to radiate warnings. His face contorted for the full five seconds he held the position, falling swiftly into Dave's arms with a screamed "Ow!" Everyone who 

"Shit dude, are you okay?" Dave held Karkat strongly, not expecting him to want to stand or physically be able to for maybe even an hour. 

"I quit back when I was in your human grade-school and haven't done it since." He grinned with another short laugh at the end and stood up on his own. 

He hadn't laughed so much since he moved to Earth. He stayed until he's half asleep in Dave's arms, assuring him that he was awake and no, he didn't want to go back up to his room. 

He didn't remember when Dave finally dragged him up to the first class deck, but it left him with happy dreams for once, falling asleep in his bed after a few apologies to his personal maid who had to unlace his corset laying down. 

\-- --

Breakfast the next day was horrid.

Karkat sat across from Cal on the promenade, positive that the only thing keeping him from getting a full blown schooling right then and there is the fact that his maid Trudy was still pouring the tea and a waiter from the kitchen still setting the decorative china plates on the table in front of them. As if the silence in front of company wasn't enough, Cal kept a hard glare on Karkat between sips from his cup and shifts of his silver wear. Karkat would respond with a smile to his cup whenever their eye's would meet. But he knew nothing could soften Cal when he was like this.

"I had hoped you could come to me last night." Cal spoke as soon as the workers left, giving Karkat only a second to think up his defense. 

"I was tired. I wanted to sleep." He stared at the tea cup in his hands and rubbed his fingers around the rim of the saucer it sat on.

The bite of Cal's next words betrayed his almost mockingly calm tonnage. "Yes, of course. Your exertions below decks were no doubt exhausting."

Karkat looked up at Cal as he spoke, and had to take a second to contain his shock. Another second to figure out how to not completely flip at the obvious. "So you had that love good manservant follow me? Ha, that's so _obvious_ I don't know how I got my head far enough up my nook not to figure that one out." Times like these made Karkat glad that Cal didn't understand troll-slang. He put his cup down and gulped. 

"You'll never behave like that again, Karkat. Do you understand?" Cal stared hard at Karkat, enough so that Karkat had to gulp and will himself to stand his ground. He deserved better than this. He knew that.

It took him a few quiet seconds for him to find the courage to speak, and a couple more with his mouth open to actually will his voice to act. "I'm not one of those borderline-slaves from one of your mills that you can order around no matter how silly the command." He gulped, his throat refusing to unknot. "I'm your fiancé." The words stung in more ways than one.

"My fiancé..." Cal echoed in amusement. "My fiancé!" He yelled, standing up angrily. "Yes you are!" Another burst, followed by the table flipping on it's side, leaving Cal free range to lung at Karkat and grab him by the arms and lean in close to his face. "And my wife by practice, if not by law. So you will  _honor_ me. You will honor me the way a wife is  _required_ to honor her husband. I will  _not_ be made a fool of. Is this in any way unclear?" His voice slowly dropped from rage filled to instructional by the end. It gave Karkat no option but to shake his head mutely, fear keeping him glued to the back of his seat. "Good... Excuse me." Cal dropped in casually before walking to the door. Karkat watched as Cal made his way through the doorway back into their room, waiting for him to clear from Karkat's sight.

As soon as he was, Karkat's breaths strained and heaved in his chest. Trudy was quick to start off from her spot in the back of the room as Karkat dropped from his chair to look over the mess on the ground, Trudy already there to pick up the broken china and calm Karkat. 

"I-it-- W-we had an accident." Karkat managed. A lie to himself more than an explanation for his maid who was still trying to calm Karkat with shooshes and reassuring phrases. She finally grabbed Karkat's hand as he tried to hand half a plate over to her, catching his glance after. The realization that he couldn't lie to anyone anymore dawning and causing him to fall back on the leg of his own chair, covering his mouth with wracking sobs while his maid tried her best to make him feel comforted. 

"I-I'm not a girl." Karkat spoke up in Trudy's arms as soon as his chest stopped straining for a breath. "I'm not a 'she.'" 

"I know, Karkat. It's okay." 

"I'm not--"

"Shhh... It's okay." 

He eventually relaxed, but the fear that Cal would hit Karkat next time and spare the table made home a home that wasn't built to leave in any near-future.

\-- --

Trudy consoled Karkat as much as she could, letting him off to his own room after a while to start undressing for his midday attire. She entered the room on que when Karkat opened his door for her, pulling out a dress and matching corset to start lacing Karkat into. They worked together, mostly in a silence that neither of them minded. Trudy was only half way done with the lacing when Ruth, Karkat's mom, stepped into the room.

With a commanding "tea, Trudy." From the New Arrival, Trudy curtsied and left without a word past "yes, ma'am." 

This left Karkat and Ruth in a challenging stare until she was fully out the door. Karkat turned to face his mother as she walked back toward her adoptive son, signaling Karkat with a twirl of her finger to turn around. He regretted doing it, but knew he didn't have an option. She was at the corset as soon as Karkat showed his back to her, pulling the laces taught and where Trudy has stopped, then going back down to Karkat's waist to pull tighter, giving him more semblance of curves he would never have. He knew why she was doing it, and the words that followed reinforced Karkat's suspicions. 

"You're not to see that boy again. You understand me?" Like he wouldn't.

"I speak English, yes."

"Karkat." A warning accompanied with a hard tug on the laces again, knitting Karkat's eyebrows together with frustration. "I forbid it."

He hated the way she fussed over every little thing, like any small line out of tow Karkat took was a leap that could mean the perish of them both. "Why don't you give yourself a break before you get yourself a nose bleed." 

Karkat's arm was grabbed for the second time that morning, this time to turn him around instead of hold him still. His eyes scanned over his mom's face, fear settling in when he saw the same look Cal had given him that morning. 

"This is not a game." Her voice was low. "Our situation is precarious. You know our money's gone." 

"Of course I know." He looked behind her shoulder to gulp then back at her, deciding to give standing his ground one last shot. "You remind me everyday." 

That wasn't good enough for Ruth, her voice hardening, and words pronounced evenly as if any inclination or speed would ruin Karkat's chances of understanding. "Your father left us  _nothing_ but a legacy of bad debts hidden by a good name. That  _name_ is the only card we have to play."

Karkat rolled his eyes and leaned against the wall, not in the mood for the same talk he'd always get. 

But she continued. "I don't understand you. It is a fine marriage with Harkley, it'll ensure our survival." 

Karkat frowned at that. "How can you put your need for material wealth on my shoulders?"

"Why are you being so selfish?" Ruth bit back quickly. 

"Oh,  _I'm_ the selfish one?" They both stared back at forth through each others eyes, Ruth's face slowly melting into a sadness.

"Do you want to see me working as a seamstress? Is that what you want?" The way she said it made it seem like she believed that's what Karkat wanted. It was uncomfortable enough to get him to look away before his mother started again. "To see all of your fine things sold at auction? Our memories scattered through the winds?" A voice crack at the end had her hand covering her mouth, looking away with teary eyes.

Karkat only sighed taking in a breath and trying to think up anything to say. He couldn't comfort his mom with the bitterness he felt toward her, but he made her cry with words he never even thought. It wasn't the time to be harsh. "This is so fucking unfair..." He mumbled to the ground.

This got Ruth to turn around. "Of course it's unfair, darling. They're men. We're not. Our choices are never easy." Karkat kept his eyes trained on the open air to the side of them both while Ruth looked him over, tears still pricked in her eyes. He tensed and gave a subtly retreat when she came over to kiss his cheek and caress his face, a loving action only to clear her slate of anything she might have said wrong, or hurt Karkat with. She let her hands slide to Karkat's shoulders and slowly turn him back around to work on his corset again. He was compliant, blanked into a state of numbness yet again. His life predetermined, with nothing at his disposal to stop it. 

\-- --

After spending his morning on the deck and talking at the Mayor for a few hours, Dave decided it was time to go pay Karkat a visit. At least check up on him to see how he's doing, maybe take another walk around the deck, get him in trouble for skipping tea or something else equally as ridiculous. Maybe tease him about it later. 

"Good mornin' Mr. andrews. He said with a small salute as he rounded the corner of one of the staircases. He had been wandering the first class deck for a while, trying to find where the fuck everyone had gone. 

"Good morning Dave." He replied as Dave started his way down the stairs and toward what sounded like a church mass. Seemed promising. He looked around before heading toward the doors that lead to it. A man guarding them on one side quickly stepped in Dave's path. 

"Sir--"

"No come on, I need to talk to--"

"Sir, you're not supposed to be here."

"No I just need to speak to somebody."

"Sir please."

"Apple juice."

"Sir, can you please step back." 

"Holy hell. Okay dude, look. Back. Two whole steps, you can even count them."

"Sir--"

"No wait, look, I was just here last night. Can you really forget a face like this?"

"I'm afraid I don't remember you, now you're gonna have to turn around--"

"Hey, Lovegood. He'll tell you." He stepped to the side to square with the bodyguard, and address him instead of the doorman. "I just needa talk- just needa talk to--"

Lovegood didn't wanna hear it. "Mr. Hawkley and Mrs. DeWitt Bukater continue to be appreciative of your assistance."

"Mister what and who?"

Mr. Lovegood started reaching for his waistcoat pocket. "They asked me to uh, give you this in gratitude." He pulled two twenties out and held it in front of Dave.

"Okay yo, I don't want your money. I just wanna talk to--"

" _Also,_ to remind you that you hold a third-class ticket, and that your presence here is no longer appropriate." He said matter of factly, slowly lowing the bills.

"Please, I just want to speak to Karkat for one fucking second." 

"Gentlemen-"

" _Please!_ "

"-will you see that Mr. Strider gets back to where he belongs and that he stays there?" He takes one of the twenties in either hand and extends them to the two doorman at either side of him, not breaking contact with Dave. The obediently start leading Dave back to the first class section of the ship, not giving him a chance to even look back. Not that that would be his only attempt to get to Karkat.

\-- --

Karkat and his mother stood at the steering room with the captain, and a few members of the crew, getting a tour and socializing (Karkat less so than his mother). Just as Ruth's final question about the room was answered, a young man came in to give the captain a warning. 

"Excuse me, Sir. Another ice warning. This one's from the Baltic." He handed a slip of paper to the captain with coordinates on it and was thanked respectively. He continued to study the paper until he looked up and saw the concern in Karkat's mother's eyes'. 

"Ooh, not to worry. Quite normal for this time of year." He flashed a few smiles and folded the paper into his pocket. In fact, we're speeding up. I just ordered the last boilers lit." Another smile of reassurance. 

"Shall we carry on with our walk?" Mr. Andrews asked before leading off out of the room and beginning to walk along the deck, everyone now donning their hats. Karkat managed to get his way up to him, liking his company the best out of everyone in the elite high-class circle his mom kept in close contact with.

"Uh, Mr. Andrews? Well see, I did the sum in my head- not that it's fucking hard arithmetic or anything- but with the number of lifeboats, and the capacity you mentioned earlier, i mean sorry if it's rude of me to even fucking suggest but there really isn't enough spots for everyone on board, is there?"

He stopped with a smile toward Karkat. "About half actually. Karkat, you miss nothing do you? In fact, I put an extra row of davits which can take an extra row of boats inside these ones." He gestured out to the deck, the back at Karkat. "But it was thought, by some, that the deck would look to cluttered." Mr. Andrews nodded at the end, but he could tell Karkat wasn't satisfied at the result. "I was over ruled." 

Cal hit one with his cane. "Waste of deck space as it is in an unsinkable ship."

Mr. Andrews smiled at that and began to walk, Karkat close in tow. "Sleep soundly, young Karkat. I've built you a good ship, strong and true. She's all the lifeboat you'll need." 

Just as Karkat's willing to accept the facts and follow along like he's meant to, he feels a grab at his arm with and elicited a quick turn to see red eyes and blonde hair, in a top hat and coat. "Dave?"

He nodded and put a finger on his lips to signal to be quiet before waving Karkat to follow him and quickly walking to a private room, Karkat looking around frantically to make sure no one saw.

He walked in as soon as he could, turning to face Dave a couple yards in. "Dave, I can't do this. I can't keep seeing you." He started toward the door to leave, but Dave put his hands on Karkat's shoulders to stop him. He's pretty sick of being forced to stay, forced to listen.

"Karkat look, I just need to talk to you."

"No Dave. No. Okay, Dave look. I'm engaged. I'm marrying that hoof-beast face of a man, Cal. I love Cal." His words caught his lips and turned them down at the last sentence, but he looked up with pleading eyes, hoping Dave would believe him anyway. 

"Bullshit." 

Karkat frowned, mostly at how transparent he was, and turned to leave, Dave grabbing his arm again. Karkat ripped it out of Dave's grasp and looked to the side, Dave respectfully backing off, even giving Karkat a little more room to breathe.

He tried again. "Okay look, you ain't smooth sailing. You actually a shitty little brat when you get down to it. Okay but look Karkat. You're the most astoundingly wonderful troll- person- that I've ever known." 

"Dave I--"

"Wait, please just let me try to get this out. You're amaz- okay. I'm not some drunk doubled over the toilet every night, desperate to hear whatever sort of lies get told to him kind of idiot. I mean idiot sure, but I know how the world works. I got fucking ten bucks in my pocket, I have nothing to offer you and I know that. I understand, it ain't hard to. But I'm too involved now. You jump, I jump remember? I can't just hightail my ass out of your life without knowing that you're gonna be alright. 's all that I want." 

He stared at Karkat who's eyes were glossed over now. He'd finally gotten what he wanted, someone to understand and care and respect him. But there was nothing he could do about it. Nothing he could do with it to make his situation better. 

The alternative was to cut out the option. "Well I'm fine. I'll be fine. Really."

"Really?" Dave raised his eyebrows, and Karkat didn't understand why he wouldn't let go. "I don't think so. You know those people who have the audacity to call themselves part of your family? They've got you fucking trapped, bro. Like a bug some little kid found and stuffed into a glass jar to show his friends, give it some shitty name like buggy, or tug. But the thing is you're gonna die if you don't get out. I mean not right away cause you're strong but sooner or later-" he brought his hand up hesitantly, giving Karkat room to break away in case the touch was just as unwanted as the arm grab. He rubbed his thumb against her cheek when he wasn't pushed away. "That fire that I love about you, Karkat. That fire's gonna burn out." 

Karkat's eyes were so filled with tears it was a miracle that nothing had spilled over. His jaw was starting to quiver and he had to gulp twice before speaking. "It's not up to you to save me, Dave." 

"Like fuck it's not. That's your job. You gotta get yourself away from them, Karkat." 

It was true but Karkat didn't want to hear that. He didn't know what he wanted to hear, but not that. He put his hand up to hold Dave's against his face just a moment longer before lacing his fingers through Dave's and pulling him back. "I'm going back. Leave me alone." He left through the door as soon as his words spilled out. There was no way he'd be able to go back to his  mother and everyone else like this. He'd just have to think of a reason why he turned back to his room instead as to not get scolded later.

\-- --

The decision was not his best, and definitely not something he wanted. It was for his mother. For Cal. Maybe a ploy to avoid another burst of anger from Cal, but not out of consideration for his own wants and needs. And it hit home as soon as he arrived at tea with his mom and a few of her friends. 

It's a situation Karkat had relived time and time again. His mom usually the momentum for the conversation. Her dramatic retellings of stories more of a passive aggressive stab at Karkat so he'll know that his inability to sit and do as he's told is something that's frowned upon by any well-seasoned member of society, and is not an expectation bred from her own stubbornness. This time, about the wedding and Karkat wanting to 'spite' his mother in countless ways, making the whole thing truly an expedition to be retold.

He drowns it all out quicker than usual. It doesn't take long before he completely gives up on even trying to look like he's paying attention and starts to let his gaze wonder around the room, and the little tea cakes and dresses and- child? 

A young girl, five by the looks of it. Her assumed mother is across from her, already scolding her on her posture and lecturing her about never using the backrest, at least never during tea. Not the slouch; that there should be a slight curve in your back if you're sitting tall enough. It makes Karkat wonder how humans could be so fucked up to rip away instinctual fun and the innocent carefree approach to life kids take at such a young age. It seemed merciless that women were held to standards just so in this society. The child takes her napkin daintily between her thumbs and forefingers as she lays it on her lap, awkwardly smoothing it down with a posed hand of elegance. It was wrong. It made Karkat want to vomit. 

For the second time during his stay on TItianic, Karkat was certain that he wanted out in any way that he could find it. He wanted to be done with this life. 

But this time, he knew how to do it without involving a long, hard drop to iced water. 

He just needed to start over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope this one is good, not really certain how I feel about it tbh. Just about halfway done with the fic.
> 
> -Allen


End file.
